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AMADOR COUNTY AMAZING: It can be a mite hard to hold one's horses when springtime sights are on the near horizon. A person gets pretty dang eager to shake off wintertime, and soak in some rays, it's true, and finding those flowery spots that brim with sunshine hues becomes a top-of-the-list goal. But shaking off wintertime, especially in a winter that's seen a lot of snow action at higher elevations, is an easier-said-than-done proposition quite often. Still, though, even places that have seen a notable amount of flakes and raindrops over the 2016-2017 are still on schedule to do the whole flower thing in the weeks ahead. One of the best known is Daffodil Hill in Amador County, a Gold Country gem that is truly golden in color. Nope, you don't have to guess too hard about what the star blossom is at the bucolic destination, but pinning down that opening date, what with recent snowfalls in the area, is another matter. Still, though, the pretty spot recently revealed when those proverbial doors will open for the season. It's...

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, an easy date to remember if you happen to be heading for Murphys for the mondo March 18 St. Patrick's Day parade (Murphys is not in Amador County, of course, but close enough where it could be included in a weekend-long road trip). Weekend traffic can be notable, reveals the Daffodil Hill Facebook page, so, during its spring-bloom run, think about how wonderful a Wednesday stroll might be. Admission to the vivaciously bright Volcano attraction, which is on an historical property that dates back to the late 1800s, is free.